coproduction: MIP talk

Montreal: In a speech at mip-tv aimed at promoting Canadian coproduction interests in Europe, Telefilm Canada executive director Pierre DesRoches said European producers should take advantage of Canada’s ‘front-line’ experience with the u.s.

He said Canada is an ideal coproducer for Europe because of our advanced cable and satellite distribution systems and historical preoccupation with the domination of American programming.

In the speech, DesRoches called for a doubling of Canadian coproduction levels to $400 million to $500 million a year over the next five years.

Telefilm coproduction manager Deborah Drisdell says early indications point to another record year of coproduction activity. Between January and March, five projects were certified by Telefilm. But, she says, application levels rise sharply following major markets at mip-tv, the Cannes Film Festival and mipcom in October.

Last year, the agency certified 36 film and television projects with total production budgets of $210 million.

‘Financing in Europe is more settled this year than last (when the effects of) the recession, and political developments, caused uncertainty,’ says Drisdell. ‘More films are being produced in the u.k… the u.k. and Germany are becoming key partners,’ she adds.

Official coproduction activity with the u.k. rose sharply in 1993 to eight projects worth $76 million, up from five projects with budgets of $20.4 million in 1992.

Drisdell notes that shared production activity between Canada and the u.k. is higher than indicated by official coproduction figures because a number of majority Canadian coproductions with the u.k. are certified by the crtc, not Telefilm, and are produced as coventures.

France continues to be Canada’s most important coproduction partner. In calendar 1993, Canada and France coproduced 20 projects worth $162 million, or 77% of all coproduction spending. In 1992, the two countries coproduced 22 projects with budgets of $137 million.

Germany and Mexico moved closer to the Canadian coproduction orbit, often via tripartite agreements.

Two projects were produced with each country. Combined budgets with Germany were $11.9 million, and $19.2 million with Mexico.

Twelve of the 1993 coproductions were film shoots, including two animated features, and 22 were television projects, two of which were animated series. Fifteen projects were coproduced in English, 14 in French and seven in English and French and/or a third language.

Single projects were coproduced with Spain, Hong Kong, Israel, New Zealand, the Netherlands and Switzerland last year.

Canada has signed 27 coproduction treaties with 23 countries including the former Czechoslovakia, u.s.s.r. and Yugoslavia.

Canada hopes to sign coproduction agreements with Chile, Japan, Sweden, Malta, and possibly Poland and South Africa in 1994.

Meanwhile, the Canada/France Audiovisuel Mixed Commission meeting slated for March has been postponed to the fall, possibly around festival time in September, says Drisdell.

The commission, with representation from Canadian Heritage, Telefilm, sogic, the Quebec cultural funding and certification agency, producers, and professional craft and performer associations, is expected to examine the issue of access to Canadian airwaves.

‘The issue is access to our reciprocal markets, but the French are particularly concerned with the hesitancy of Canadian broadcasters,’ says Drisdell.

The hope is broadcasters will participate directly in some meetings, she says.